With the latest hike in energy prices, it’s become crucial to find ways to cut down on your energy bills. Nottinghamshire Live reporter Lucy Addicott made a change last year by swapping her old kettle for the Breville HotCup Hot Water Dispenser and it’s been a game-changer.
She bought the dispenser for £47.99, however, Amazon has a great deal running at the moment where you can nab it for £40. Lucy revealed: “The kitchen gadget is essentially a kettle but with a few subtle differences that see me saving money every time I fancy a brew.
“Instead of having to boil an entire kettle-worth of water, the Breville HotCup dispenses 250ml of boiling water at a time – the perfect size for a cup of tea. Breville claim that it’s 60% cheaper than using a kettle and while I haven’t been able to work out the exact calculations to support this claim, it has certainly shaved money off my energy bill.”
An Amazon customer review sums it up: “Energy-wise, my kettle costs a few pence to boil – this costs 0.04p per cup based on a 22p per kWh tariff. My calculations this pays for itself in about 3 months as my kettle was a lot more expensive per boil. In essence, this has made making brews much cheaper and way more convenient. I’ll never go back to a normal kettle again!”
In addition to saving money, the Breville HotCup can boil and dispense an average cup’s worth of water in 20 to 30 seconds – much quicker than Lucy’s old kettle. She added: “I only resort to using the old kettle when I have guests over and need to make six or more cups of tea.
“Otherwise, for my usual two or three cups a day, I stick with the Breville. The tank has a capacity of 1.5L, which is sufficient for five to seven cups. Once it’s empty, refilling it is straightforward with a push-button release that allows you to fill it at the sink just like a regular kettle.”
After placing it back on its base and flicking the switch, it lights up blue to indicate that the water is starting to boil. It’s slightly noisy when it starts working, but no more so than my previous kettle and it only lasts about 30 seconds.
Lucy admitted: “I live in a hard water area so the permanent limescale filter is a must and I haven’t found any limescale build-up from the year of using it. It also features a removable drip tray – there has been times I’ve completely forgotten to place a mug underneath the spout but the tray has safely collected the hot water for me without it spilling out onto the side.”
The Breville HotCup Hot Water Dispenser boasts a modern black design and slim profile, easily fitting on a kitchen counter ideal for contemporary aesthetics but perhaps less so for fans of the country-chic vibe. It’s praised especially by those who find using a standard kettle challenging due to wrist pain.
A customer affected by rheumatoid arthritis expressed their satisfaction with the product, saying: “Rheumatoid arthritis makes it painful for making a cuppa, but this is a godsend so far. Last night I left a cup with a teabag and sugar on the machine, and within a matter of seconds this morning, tea was ready. The noise it makes doesn’t bother me at all and I fill it with a jug, which is easy, no more lifting heavy kettles which I tended to overfill.”
Originally priced at £47.99, the Breville Hot Water Dispenser has seen its price drop to just £40 on Amazon. For other hot water dispenser options, there’s a deal at Debenhams for the Neo 2.5L Instant Hot Water Dispenser Machine, slashed from £82.99 to £46.74. Luxury seekers may consider the Caso Design HW550 Hot Water Dispenser, available for £110 at Dunelm.